McLaughlin, SD climate
McLaughlin has cold, snowy winters and warm summers, with very little rain. A typical July afternoon reaches 85°, a January night drops to 5°, and about 35 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in McLaughlin feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
McLaughlin weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 25° | 5° | 0.4" | 7.5" | 3 | 3° – 28° |
| February | 29° | 9° | 0.6" | 6.5" | 4 | 0° – 32° |
| March | 42° | 20° | 0.8" | 3.7" | 4 | 20° – 44° |
| April | 56° | 30° | 1.6" | 2.1" | 6 | 35° – 49° |
| May | 68° | 42° | 3.0" | 0.2" | 9 | 49° – 60° |
| June | 78° | 53° | 3.4" | 0 | 10 | 60° – 69° |
| July | 85° | 58° | 2.9" | 0 | 8 | 64° – 79° |
| August | 84° | 56° | 2.2" | 0 | 6 | 64° – 74° |
| September | 74° | 46° | 1.6" | 0 | 5 | 55° – 65° |
| October | 57° | 33° | 1.7" | 0.7" | 4 | 36° – 50° |
| November | 41° | 20° | 0.5" | 4.0" | 3 | 19° – 41° |
| December | 29° | 10° | 0.5" | 10.2" | 4 | 7° – 29° |
| Year | 56° | 32° | 19.1" | 34.9" | 65 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in McLaughlin
McLaughlin gets 19 inches of rain and melted snow a year. June is the wettest month and January the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 65 days a year.
About 137 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by May 12 and the first one by September 28. That leaves about 137 frost-free days for gardens, shorter than 91% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in McLaughlin
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In McLaughlin, 94% of that work is heating and 6% is cooling, so the furnace matters far more than the air conditioner.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How McLaughlin compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in McLaughlin averaged 0.9° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in January (+3.7°). The shift is smaller than in 80% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at McLaughlin’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. February swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 0° to 32°. June is the most reliable, staying within 10°.
Common questions about McLaughlin’s climate
What is the coldest month in McLaughlin?
January, with a typical high of 25° and a low of 5°.
What is the hottest month in McLaughlin?
July, with a typical high of 85° and a low of 58°. About 24 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does McLaughlin get?
About 35 inches in a normal winter, most of it in December.
When is the first frost in McLaughlin?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by September 28, and the last spring frost by May 12.
What is the rainiest month in McLaughlin?
June, with 3.4 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 19 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for McLaughlin itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Mc Laughlin, SD (1 mi) away. Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.